News Releases issued by the Office of Water

EPA Seeks Public Input on Draft Cruise Ship Discharge Report

(12/20/07) EPA is seeking public comment on the Draft Cruise Ship Discharge Assessment Report that will be used to help the agency develop the final report and identify a range of alternatives for addressing waste streams from cruise ships.

The draft report assesses five waste streams from cruise ships: sewage, graywater, oily bilge water, solid waste and hazardous waste. For each waste stream, the draft report discusses the nature and volume of the waste stream generated; existing federal regulations applicable to the waste stream; environmental management, including treatment, of the waste stream; potential adverse environmental impacts of the waste stream; and actions by the federal government to address the waste stream.

EPA also is seeking public input on options, alternatives, and recommendations on whether and how to better control and regulate the five waste streams. EPA intends to use this public input to help identify a range of options and alternatives to address these waste streams as it completes the Cruise Ship Discharge Assessment Report.

EPA has performed a comprehensive, multi-year evaluation of cruise ship sewage and graywater to better understand the nature of these waste streams. Complete results of that evaluation will be made public in 2008, and are summarized in this draft report as well.